promotion
Americannoun
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advancement in rank or position.
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furtherance or encouragement.
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the act of promoting.
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the state of being promoted.
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something devised to publicize or advertise a product, cause, institution, etc., as a brochure, free sample, poster, television or radio commercial, or personal appearance.
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Also called queening. Chess. the replacement of a pawn that has reached the enemy's first rank by a more powerful piece of the same color, usually a queen.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of promotion
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin prōmōtiōn-, stem of prōmōtiō “movement forward, advancement”; equivalent to promote + -ion
Explanation
A promotion is a raise in pay or stature, or it's a way to raise the profile or attention of something. If you create an advertising promotion that increases sales of spray jeans in a can, for example, you might get a promotion to company vice-president. Words that start with pro- usually hint at something positive or forward moving, and a promotion is a moving up or a motion forward. A product promotion pushes the item out in front so it gets more exposure, and a work or school promotion raises your salary or moves you up a grade. If you’re in the military a promotion means a higher rank, with more people under your command, and the same happens if you earn a promotion in a club or organization like the scouts.
Vocabulary lists containing promotion
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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Check It Out, Mate: Chess Vocabulary
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This Week In Words: November 28–December 4, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was a fluke, but it led to the promotion of H.R.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Koumas spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan at Hull City, helping them win promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
The defense secretary is trying to promote at least one member of his inner circle who was previously passed over for promotion several times.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
After Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour posted on X about the promotion, social-media users responded by pointing out that a small business hedging potential losses tied to a promotion wasn’t exactly a new concept.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
“You’re taking this Volta-Shock promotion very seriously, Rick,” I said.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
